February 22

Page Two

Much of today’s sickness is attributed to the inability of people to relax. Therefore many doctors are now recommending certain meditation techniques, such as autogenic training. What is involved in such meditation techniques? Is autogenic training really an aid to better health? Can there be harmful consequences? These and other questions will be answered in the following articles

The Quest for Relaxation 3

“Autogenic Training”​—Is It the Answer? 5

Something Far Better 9

The Quest for Relaxation

Pick out your most comfortable chair. Sit down, loosen your tie or your apron strings, slip out of your shoes and close your eyes.

Now imagine your feet dangling in the cool, clear, blue waters of a mountain lake. Smell the sweet aroma of nearby flowers. Hear the happy songs of carefree birds. Feel the stimulation of fresh mountain air. For a few minutes shut out, as far as possible, all other thoughts, and with this peaceful scene in mind, just meditate.

Feel better? More relaxed?

WHO of us does not need to relax? According to one authority, 70 percent of the people sitting in doctors’ waiting rooms are sick simply because they no longer can cope with life’s pressures.

In addition, new studies indicate how stress and other emotions that affect the body’s immune responses and vital functions are responsible for many human ailments. Medical science is finding that the mind-body link plays more of a role in human health than previously believed and, therefore, has given a new name to the branch of medical research that investigates this mechanism​—psychoneuroimmunology. Commenting on the brain’s physiological role, Dr. George F. Solomon of the University of California says: “Mind and body are inseparable. The brain influences all sorts of physiological processes that were once thought not to be centrally regulated.”

Obviously a doctor who can help his patients to relax is serving their best interests. Doctors can make any number of fine suggestions on how to relax consciously. Some employ electrical equipment to make patients more aware of their body’s response to certain situations, thereby teaching them to control their reactions consciously. Biofeedback, for example, is a technique used to manipulate heartbeat or brain waves by conscious mental control. As long as physical relaxation is the intent, there may be nothing objectionable to some of these methods.

But what if doctors recommend, as a help to relaxation, certain TM (transcendental meditation) techniques and also Yoga or Zen? More and more of them are doing so. In 1978, for example, over 5,000 doctors formed groups in some 20 countries to encourage the medical use of TM. Another meditation technique that is particularly popular in some European countries and that is gaining interest in other lands is what is called autogenic training. But before accepting any such treatment a person should certainly know the facts.

Meditation Techniques

Meditation basically means to turn a subject over in one’s mind, to give it continuous thought, to contemplate it. But meditation techniques are frequently something else.

A former Indian guru, now converted to Protestantism, recently explained the difference to a group of German churchmen. The goal of Eastern meditation techniques, he pointed out, is to separate oneself from the world of reality and conscious thought, oftentimes by inducing a trancelike condition. In this way, as it were, a person “finds himself,” comes to grips with his problems and, with the help of “his inner self,” is able to solve them.

German doctor and author Gisela Eberlein explained it in these words: “Common to all meditation techniques is that they lead inward, [resulting in] relaxation in deep tranquillity. Yoga, transcendental meditation or autogenic training, as different as they are, still have a common goal​—self-realization.”

Some of the meditation techniques designed to lead to “self-realization” have been discussed in previous issues of Awake!a Another method not yet dealt with, but one that is known to many of our readers, especially those living in German-speaking countries, is called autogenic training. A brief discussion of it will help us to understand better how certain meditation techniques differ from “normal” meditation. This should help the reader to draw correct conclusions about similar techniques that may be advocated by doctors in his own country.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 4]

The goal of Eastern meditation techniques is to enable a person to separate himself from the world of reality and conscious thought

“Autogenic Training”​—Is It the Answer?

AUTOGENIC TRAINING was developed half a century ago by a Berlin neurologist named Johannes Heinrich Schultz (1884-1970). In 1932 he wrote a book about his theory, explaining its name to be from the Greek autos, meaning “self,” and genesis, meaning “birth or origin.” Autogenic training, therefore, literally means a training originating from, or born of, oneself.

Autogenic training is divided into a lower and an upper stage. The lower stage is composed of a series of six exercises, or procedures, to be progressively learned and done for a few minutes several times a day. Each exercise includes a brief phrase upon which the patient is asked to concentrate as intensely as possible, mentally repeating this phrase while performing the exercise, or procedure. An autogenic manual instructs: “The student, however, should not ‘think’ in words but should simply ‘look’ inward, turning to the pictures of the inner self that correspond with the phrase.”

Therefore, when a person does the first exercise and imagines “the right arm is very heavy,” the arm actually does feel heavy. After performing this first procedure, the second follows: “The right arm is very warm.” As each such procedure is learned and followed through to a successful conclusion, additional ones are added. The last four exercises, or procedures, are directed toward gaining control over the heartbeat, the breathing apparatus, the inner organs and the mind. During the entire training session a person is always to concentrate on the thought: “I am completely relaxed.”

The object is to achieve complete physical relaxation, thereby gaining mastery over the body, forcing it to follow the dictates of the mind. Dr. Gisela Eberlein, who studied autogenic training under its founder, Dr. Schultz, says she introduces autogenic training to her students “as the method of concentrated self-relaxation that makes it possible, first of all, to achieve rest and relaxation any place, any time.”

But autogenic training is designed to accomplish even more, as Dr. Eberlein goes on to explain: “Additionally, one learns to influence the organs and the organic system, that is to say, to quiet the palpitating heart and the nervous stomach. The circulatory system, for example, can be influenced to prevent blushing.”

Does It Work?

Yes, it appears to work in many cases, at least to a certain extent. But why? First, because relaxation and a decrease in body tension can have physical benefits.a

Secondly, there is the “placebo effect.” One German doctor explained it this way: “Over half of all modern diseases are of psychosomatic origin, which means they are open to response from autosuggestive treatment. Some doctors feel that this even includes certain aspects of cancer. People who live in constant fear of cancer develop it more often than do others. . . . People who strongly believe in the effectiveness of certain medicines tend to get better.”

As an aid in making decisions or breaking habits, the power of positive thinking cannot be overlooked. When faced with major decisions, only a positive-thinking person will muster up enough courage to take difficult but nevertheless necessary steps. The I-can’t-do-it person very rarely succeeds; the I-will-do-it person generally does.

But despite these positive aspects, there are also negative aspects about autogenic training that should be considered.

Reasons for Caution

Dr. Schultz warned that the autogenic-training exercises should be learned only under the supervision of a qualified instructor. Why? Because, he said, each exercise could “possibly contain disadvantages along with the advantages.” Dr. Malcolm Carruthers, head of the Centre for Autogenic Training in London, also cautions against learning autogenic training by means of tape-recorded courses or under unskilled supervision. “It can be a very powerful technique and unless properly handled it can be dangerous,” warns Dr. Carruthers. “We know of people who have had untrained teachers and been left worse off than at the start. If an emotionally disturbed person tries the training and it fails to improve matters they may become even more depressed.”

There are other reasons for caution, especially when a person progresses to the upper stage of autogenic training. This upper stage of concentrated suggestions is designed “to produce the ‘new man,’ to develop new patterns of thought and of behavior,” according to B. Peter and W. Gerl in their book Entspannung (Relaxation).

Two autogenic training manuals point out the possibilities such training offers at its upper stage. These possibilities or objectives go beyond improving one’s physical health. One of the manuals says: “Even as a pupil can concentrate on the thought ‘the arm is warm’ he can just as well imagine that ‘being thrifty is joyful’ . . . or ‘the letter will be written.’”

The other manual observes: “Once a person has grasped the matter and senses he is on the right path, he can consciously direct further development . . . ‘I am discovering my abilities. I am putting them to use.’ ‘I am aware of life. I am doing the right thing.’ ‘I have a positive attitude.’ ‘I am striving for harmony and happiness.’ Such concentrated insertions, individually chosen and constantly developed through autogenic training​—never more than one every two weeks—​have their effect. They often enable the ‘new man’ to develop new patterns of thought and of behavior.”

Thus, according to certain practitioners, autogenic training can make you a ‘new person,’ make over your personality, yes, change your behavior. It is “a key to physical and mental health,” says Dr. Eberlein. Some practitioners even say that no problem is too large to tackle, not even physical handicaps and diseases. In effect, autogenic training is proclaimed by some as a cure-all. But is it?

No, answers autogenic training expert Dr. Malcolm Carruthers. “It is not a magic panacea,” he states. “It is simply medicine that the [medical] profession is increasingly taking up.” Thus, the view that autogenic training is a cure-all may lead to harmful consequences. How so? In that some practitioners may fail to seek out other needed treatment.

The upper stage of autogenic training is especially fraught with danger for the Christian. This is because Christians are admonished: “You should put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct and . . . should put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.”​—Ephesians 4:22-24.

The “new personality” that a Christian is striving to put on is not one that is developed by employing autogenic training. Rather, it is developed through meditation on God’s Word and by doing his revealed will.​—See Psalm 143:5; Philippians 4:8.

Another reason for caution is that the upper stage of autogenic training appears, in some ways, to be similar to Yoga. Yoga is defined as “the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will.” In other words, the mind is to be completely emptied. Often a mantra (incantation) is constantly repeated to aid in clearing the mind of all thought. This is dangerous. A mind swept completely clean is easy prey to outside influence, either that of imperfect human instructors or, worse still, of superhuman demonic forces that, according to the Bible, are desirous of gaining mastery over man’s mind.​—1 Timothy 4:1; compare Luke 11:24-26.

But is autogenic training true Yoga? Although there are similarities, autogenic training does not appear to be the same as Yoga, at least not in its lower stage of exercises. No mantra is used, and neither is the mind to be emptied, according to some books on autogenic training. Nonetheless, Christians need to be cautious, for they do not want to see how close they can come to practices that can be spiritually damaging. They want to take a clear, firm stand for true worship.​—2 Corinthians 6:14-17.

Origin Linked With Hypnotism

Here is a reason for extreme caution. Dr. Schultz became interested in the subject while working with another doctor who was treating patients with hypnotism. His observations enabled him “to develop ‘autogenic training,’” as he himself wrote, “from hypnotism.” In fact, he even described it as “a daughter of hypnotism.” Autogenic training is acknowledged by some of its practitioners to be a form of “self-hypnotism.” Yet, not all practitioners of autogenic training use hypnotism. Instead they employ concentrated thought suggestions on one’s body parts or functions.

If self-hypnotism is used, then this can present a real danger for a Christian. Why? Although no one can really explain how hypnotism works, yet its background is well known. An Encyclopædia of Occultism says that “its history is inextricably interwoven with occultism, and even to-day much hypnotic phenomena is classed as ‘spiritualistic.’” The practice of any form of spiritism brings divine disapproval.​—Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Galatians 5:19-21.

A Christian cannot indulge in any practice or routine having to do with the occult. For example, what did some occultists of the first century in Ephesus, Asia Minor, do after hearing the Christian apostle Paul preach in their city? “Many of those who had become believers would come and confess and report their practices openly. Indeed, quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody. And they calculated together the prices of them and found them worth fifty thousand pieces of silver.”​—Acts 19:18, 19.

Therefore, autogenic training is fraught with dangers for the Christian. Its origin is linked with hypnotism, some of its practitioners actually use a form of self-hypnotism, and its upper stage employs Yogalike meditation techniques.

Since meditation techniques do not provide the proper answer for mankind’s ills, then what is God’s answer?

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 5]

Many of today’s diseases are related to stress and tension

[Blurb on page 6]

Autogenic training exercises should be learned only under the supervision of a qualified instructor​—Dr. J. H. Schultz

[Blurb on page 6]

“It can be a very powerful technique and unless properly handled it can be dangerous”​—Dr. M. Carruthers

[Blurb on page 8]

Christians need to be cautious or they may meditate on concepts out of harmony with Bible teachings, thus resulting in loss of faith

[Picture on page 7]

Relaxation and a decrease in body tension can have physical benefits

Brain

Heart

Stomach

Kidneys

Liver

Something Far Better

THE claims made for certain meditation techniques are quite attractive: to widen understanding of oneself, to replace negative tendencies and bad habits with positive ones, to overcome anxieties and fears, and, yes, even to improve health.

“If we have the proper inner attitude about life’s problems, then we can also solve them,” promises the book Autogenes Training für Fortgeschrittene (Autogenic Training for Advanced Students). Many people hold up “self-realization” and finding the “inner, or real, self” as the cure-all for every problem. But is this a realistic approach?

“The heart [the seat of motivation] is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate,” says the Bible. (Jeremiah 17:9) So, really, our deep inclinations and feelings, our “inner, or real, self” is not a reliable guide.

Life’s problems are many. To name only a few: discrimination, aging, serious sickness, death. Just how successful can a “proper inner attitude” be in solving these? True, a proper attitude can help us cope with these difficult problems of life and can prevent us from becoming emotionally or psychologically crippled by them, but it cannot solve them. This lies outside the realm of man’s ability.

The wisest man of antiquity, King Solomon of Israel, said: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6) Yet some may feel that this is unrealistic. One person who turned to a meditation technique for help noted: “To me religious faith and prayer appeared too passive; I needed more: the active support of the subconscious. . . . Autogenic training was to help me get it.” But religious faith and prayer need not be passive; indeed, they dare not be if they are to be genuine.

Personality changes are required of true Christians, but not by means of a do-it-yourself program that employs self-centered meditation techniques. Rather, the Bible urges a total reliance upon God for help in ‘stripping off the old personality and the putting on of the new one.’ (Colossians 3:9, 10; Ephesians 4:22-24) The Christian apostle Paul said: “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.” (Philippians 4:13) Obviously the personality changes Paul made were made on the basis of accurate knowledge with the support and guidance of God’s holy spirit, not the “active support of the subconscious.”

A Superior Kind of Meditation

The superior kind of meditation centers not upon the creature but upon the Creator. A Bible writer said to Him in prayer: “I shall certainly meditate on all your activity, and with your dealings I will concern myself.” (Psalm 77:12) This kind of meditation turns our attention to the real cure-all for man’s problems, God’s Kingdom, now near at hand.

Under this Kingdom of God, man will be completely cured of all his weaknesses, bad habits and wrong tendencies, yes, even of all his diseases: “Bless Jehovah . . . who is forgiving all your error, who is healing all your maladies,” says Psalm 103:2, 3. Think what that will mean! Nothing less than human perfection! What report could be better or what sayings could be more pleasant than that? And should not hearing such a report have a beneficial effect upon the human organism, both mentally and physically? Yes, according to Proverbs 15:30 and Pr 16:24: “A report that is good makes the bones fat” and “pleasant sayings are . . . a healing to the bones.”

Let your mind dwell on the blessings that will come under Kingdom rule. As an example, when you read Psalm 37:10, 11, just picture what the earth will be like when filled with only “meek ones.” Then think of something that has recently irritated you, caused by the brusque manner of others. Gone will be those everyday irritations because the “meek ones” will have replaced the harsh. Meditate upon how secure you will feel walking alone at night when “the wicked one will be no more.” Reflect, too, on how you will “delight in the abundance of peace” when the threat of a nuclear holocaust no more hovers over your head. This type of meditation can bring you lasting benefits.

Thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses are living examples that people who gain an accurate knowledge of God’s purposes and obediently follow the fine counsel of his Word can break bad habits, overcome shyness and anxieties, cope with prejudices, develop a personality pleasing to both themselves and those around them, and to some extent even improve their health. How is this done? Not by emptying the mind, but, rather, by keeping it active in being “filled with the accurate knowledge of [God’s] will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.”​—Colossians 1:9.

No, “self-realization” will never be able to bring the benefits and the satisfaction that come from meditation upon Jehovah God and his Word. Have you made time for this superior type of meditation? If so, you will avoid dangerous meditation techniques that can never be what only God’s Kingdom is​—a cure-all.

[Picture on page 10]

The superior kind of meditation centers not upon the creature but upon the Creator and His purposes

‘It’s Not the Building but What Is in Your Heart’

“I don’t know what it is,” said the building inspector of a city in Colorado, U.S.A., “but if the world were like you Jehovah’s Witnesses, there wouldn’t be any problem that couldn’t be overcome.”

What prompted such a comment from this city official? He just witnessed a Kingdom Hall rising from a foundation to a completed house of worship in less than two days! Volunteer work crews made up of Jehovah’s Witnesses labored around the clock to build a meeting place for the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Now, 42 hours after the first sound of a hammer hitting a nail, ringing out the start of the construction, the congregation was gathered for its first meeting. Before the service got under way, the inspector, who was there to present the Certificate of Occupancy for signing, requested permission to say a few words to the congregation.

“You people amaze me!” he said. “I just want to say it’s been an honor to work with you. I’ve been all around the world with construction crews, but I’ve never seen the unity, drive, cooperation and camaraderie that you all have shown.” He stated this example: “I saw a carpenter come down off the roof, drop his apron and start shoveling rock. That’s not something normally done. You people have a drive I just don’t understand!”

In Canada and the United States at least 15 two-day Kingdom Halls per month are built by volunteer workers. These halls have an average floor space of 4,000 square feet (370 sq m) with seating for 200 people. And some are constructed in less than 24 hours! What would the inspector’s comments have been about that?

Finally the moment to sign the Certificate of Occupancy arrived. The inspector next told the congregation: “Your building will be called a church [official zoning designation], but the building is not what makes it a church​—it is what is in your hearts that will make it a church. I’ve inspected a lot of churches in this city, but this is by far the best built church of them all. It surpasses all the requirements of the city.

“The next time you are asked who you are, don’t tell them your name,” he continued. “Say you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and be proud of who you are!”

In conclusion, the inspector said: “God bless this building. I’m sure he will!”

Eleven Years to Find True Treasure

BEIRUT, Lebanon. This city is familiar to most people through news headlines as a place torn by civil war. But for me it is home. And at about the time that my own countrymen flared with hate and my home erupted in war, I replaced my hate with a peace more valuable than any treasure on earth. Let me tell how this came about.

I was the youngest of seven children, born in Beirut to Arab parents in 1949. As a child I wanted very much to be close to God. But no one in my family was very religious, even though they claimed to be Christians. Seldom, if ever, did any of them go to church. So I would go alone.

While kneeling in prayer in front of the pictures of Jesus or the virgin Mary, I would often shed tears. I prayed to know the truth. Anytime I passed a church I would make the sign of the cross. I wanted to please God, and as I grew older I felt that being a priest would be the best way to do this.

In 1962, when I was 13, my mother accompanied me to apply to become a priest. Inside the main administration building of the Greek Orthodox Church in Beirut, we climbed the stairs to the office of the patriarch. When I told him I wanted to be a priest, he only asked: “Do you have a good voice?” “Yes,” I answered. And when he saw that I did, he said: “We accept you.” How happy I was! I felt as though I had gained a treasure​—to serve God as a priest!

A True Treasure?

As we were leaving, a woman who worked there at the church headquarters said something that disturbed me. “Don’t become a priest,” she urged. “Your sins will be greater.” What did she mean? I didn’t understand. But during the next three years of my training for the priesthood, I recalled her words often, with understanding. Why? Because of what I observed.

The priests in Lebanon were involved in politics, supporting one party and opposing another. I knew a priest who carried a revolver concealed under his robes. It seemed wrong to me that priests should be so ready to participate in fighting and war. I wondered, ‘Would Christ or his apostles do that?’

Also, the priests were greedy for money. I saw them fight over the collection money, cursing one another. “I want this,” they’d say. And I saw them with their girl friends. Every time a certain priest said Mass, his girl friend would come. Many knew that what they were doing was sinful. Well, when I saw his girl friend come and push an old woman away to get a better position next to the priest, I began to hate the priest. Still, I thought the church was right, only the priests were bad.

After three years I stopped preparing to be a priest, yet I continued to be very active in the church, attending regularly and singing in the choir. My goals had changed. Now sports, in particular basketball, became my chief interest. In addition, during school vacations I worked in my older brother’s factory, learning his trade. Being 20 years older than me, he was like my father​—our father had died.

Encounter With the Witnesses

The church group that I belonged to was strongly anti-Jewish. And we were also taught to hate Jehovah’s Witnesses. We were told they were Zionists, that they were against Christ. Oh, they used Christ’s name, but that, I thought, was only a front. If you just mentioned the word “Jehovah,” I’d get angry, ready to fight. We organized young people to follow the Witnesses to the houses to harass and attack them with sticks and stones.

Well, one day after basketball practice I was visiting my sister, and for the first time I met the Witnesses personally when they called at her house. Arabs have the custom to be hospitable to people when they come into their home, so I was. When they raised questions I couldn’t answer, I said, “Come next week and I will bring the priest.”

The following week we met. I could see that the priest didn’t know the Bible​—he couldn’t defend himself. When the Witnesses showed that we shouldn’t call any spiritual leader “father,” he simply said, ‘It’s OK, don’t call me father.’ (Matthew 23:9) Even though he didn’t know the Bible, still he was my priest. And so I told the Witnesses: “Don’t ever come back. I’ll break your legs if you do.” And I meant it.

Achieving Athletic Fame

Meanwhile, I had grown to well over six feet (1.8 m), quite tall for an Arab. And basketball became my whole life; for years I practiced five hours daily. I determined to be the best and by 1971 became known throughout the country for my ability. That year I was selected for the national team that represented Lebanon in international competition in Saudi Arabia.

The following year I received greater recognition, being appointed the captain of a school team made up of the best players in all Lebanon. I played guard and was the team’s playmaker. We went to Iraq for a tournament of all Arab countries and almost won. We were the runner-up to Iraq. In 1973 I was again selected as a member of Lebanon’s best team.

I had achieved my goal to be one of the best in basketball, at least in Lebanon. People recognized me. I was famous. Girls flocked around me. But these things did not bring me the real happiness that I thought they would. The treasure was not genuine.

Meeting the Witnesses Again

Early in 1973 my good friend, a fellow star basketball player, began to study the Bible with the Witnesses. When I learned of it, I immediately went to him and said: “Sami, these people are no good. Don’t get mixed up with them.” And in my anger I cursed Jehovah’s name.

“No! no! Joseph, don’t say that,” he cautioned. “Talk with the Witnesses.”

“All right,” I said, “but if I can show you that they don’t have the truth of the Bible, will you stop studying with them?”

“OK. But if it turns out that they have the truth,” he shot back, “will you become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?”

I agreed.

There were five of us who were good friends. I informed the other three, and together we went to our priest. “Please come with us to talk with the Witnesses,” we asked. But he wouldn’t come. So my friends said: “If the priest doesn’t go, we won’t go either.” But I had promised Sami, and I couldn’t go back on my word.

At the agreed time about a dozen Witnesses met at Sami’s house. They were very friendly, but I didn’t want to be friendly. “Let’s get on with the discussion,” I demanded. So the Witness taking the lead invited me to begin. “El, the god of the Syrians, is the true God,” I said, “Jehovah is the God of Israel, and he is a murderer.”

The Witness did not argue but simply asked: “Do you believe the whole Bible?”

“Yes,” I answered.

So he asked me to open to Psalm 83:18. When I did, I just sat there. It was as if someone hit me with his fist. I had never seen the name “Jehovah” in the Bible. It said: ‘The one whose name is Jehovah is the Most High God over all the earth.’ And I had often cursed that name!

The Witness asked me to open to another scripture (God’s name, Jehovah, appears about 20 times in the Arabic Bible). But I said, “No, if I don’t believe this verse I don’t believe all the Bible. One verse is enough.”

“OK, I want to discuss more,” I offered. “But I have something to tell you. If you are really the disciples of Jesus Christ​—the real disciples—​I will become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. But if not, if you are Zionists, I will kill all of you.”

“Fine,” was the reply. “If you find that we are Zionists, kill us.”

From that day I began to read the Bible, something I’d never done before. In three months I had read it through, and I had also studied the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life with the Witnesses. The knowledge of God and his Kingdom became something precious to me. As Jesus said: “The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and for the joy he has he goes and sells what things he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44) I wanted to learn about it​—about how I could become one of its earthly subjects. But I did not find it easy to put this ahead of everything else.

Selling All for the Treasure

I was divided. I still loved basketball. And many girl friends would call and want my company. Going out and ‘having a good time’ had a tremendous pull on me. My family even encouraged this immoral life-style, since all of them strongly opposed my association with the Witnesses. Giving up everything for the treasure seemed too much; I discontinued my Bible study.

At about this time my brother had some large gambling debts, and I left the university to work full time to help him save his factory. The Witnesses would continue to call on me to try to build my appreciation​—but without success. After about six months I asked myself: ‘Joseph, where are you going? You know the Witnesses have the truth.’

But I needed to make changes. Could I make them? To show my determination, first of all I threw away my cigarettes. Then I went to the phone and called Fadi, the Witness who had studied with me. “My blood is upon your head,” I told him. “You must study with me.”

“Do you mean it? Come and we’ll start again tonight,” he replied. That was in December 1973.

Right away I began to go to congregation meetings, taking a different girl friend with me each time. But when a girl would want to have relations, I would explain: “No, I don’t do that anymore.” Since none of them accepted the truth, I eventually cut off all such association.

My basketball coach was furious. He had spent years developing me as a player, and we had the best team in Lebanon. Now I suddenly quit, just like that. I’d made up my mind to seize the real treasure. On August 24, 1974, I was baptized, thus symbolizing my dedication to serve Jehovah God.

The following year I married Kathy, a regular pioneer (that is, a full-time minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses). Then, in 1976, I was appointed an elder in the Christian congregation. At about the same time I bought my own factory where we did metal plating, the same kind of factory my brother had. My only employees were five Witnesses. I would close the factory at 4 p.m. and share in the ministry with my wife until 11 p.m. We conducted 20 Bible studies a month. But I felt torn between the two activities.

So in February 1978 I sold the factory and began in the special-pioneer work. What a blessing! For the following month a bomb blew up the factory. It would have been practically worthless if I had not sold it when I did!

A Treasure Worth Any Sacrifice

Serving our loving Father, Jehovah, and his Kingdom interests has brought me true contentment and satisfaction, despite the dangers of serving God in this war-torn country. Why, in the first year of the civil war that began in 1975 some 15,000 to 20,000 were killed, and since then tens of thousands more have died! Since Lebanon has a population of only about three million, that would be comparable to the United States losing many millions of citizens in such a war! Often we are exposed to bullets and bombs as we carry on our ministry.

In 1980 I was assigned as a circuit overseer in Beirut, visiting the congregations in the city to strengthen them spiritually. During two and a half years in this work we didn’t miss visiting a congregation, even though at times more than a thousand shells and bombs a minute fell like rain. Due to the especially heavy fighting in the neighborhood of one congregation, the advisability of visiting it was questioned. Some wondered: ‘Will anyone come to a meeting under such conditions?’ We were advised to go. The congregation has 45 Kingdom publishers, and 45 were at the meeting despite the heavy fighting!

Often meetings are held with the bombs exploding outside. Going in the ministry, we duck the bullets and hide just as the soldiers do. But we continue preaching, believing that to die while directly involved in God’s service would be the finest way to die. One time we arranged to go out in the ministry, but the shelling was so heavy that for three hours ten of us were trapped in a small corridor, waiting for a break in the bombardment. We sang Kingdom songs and discussed Bible questions.

On another occasion I was working from house to house with a nine-year-old boy, his first time in the service. We called on a man involved in the fighting. He held a gun to my head and said he was going to kill me. I prayed to Jehovah for help. Then I told him: “If you kill me, my family, who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses, may hunt you down and kill you.” He let us go, and we continued from house to house. The young boy showed true Christian courage.

Often we experience Jehovah’s protection. For example, a house that we used as a congregation meeting place was taken over by one of the fighters. Some may have wondered: ‘Why did Jehovah permit this?’ Well, on the following Monday, when a congregation meeting would have been in progress, terrific fighting broke out on that street. It came right to the house where our meeting would have been. The building was riddled with bullets, which would almost surely have killed many Witnesses. The house was taken over by fighters of another party, and later I was able to negotiate with them to have the house returned, to be used as a meeting place once more!

After serving as a circuit overseer for more than two years in the war-torn city of Beirut, in March of 1983 I was called to the New York headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses for some special training. The months that Kathy and I spent there were truly a highlight of our life. As we now return home to Lebanon, we are more determined than ever to show by our service that to us God’s Kingdom is more precious than all else, a real treasure.​—Contributed.

[Blurb on page 15]

We organized young people to harass and attack the Witnesses

The Miracles of Jesus​—Did They Really Happen?

YOU may believe in the miracles of Jesus recorded in the Bible; then again, you may not. Or you may shrug your shoulders and ask: ‘Does it really matter?’ But you should not ignore the subject of miracles. If Jesus’ miracles did not happen, then the authoritativeness of some of the teachings of the most influential man who ever lived may be called into question. But if they did happen, your whole future could be changed.

According to the dictionary, a miracle is “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.” It is an event exciting wonder, completely unexplainable in terms of human knowledge. The Bible tells us that when Jesus was on earth he performed many such miracles. These were basically of four kinds, as can be seen in the chart on the following page. Even today, no one can explain how Jesus could have done such things.

Did They Really Happen?

Many believe they did not. One theologian contended that the miracle accounts were simply “exaggerations or misapprehensions of quite ordinary events.” Is that true? Or were those who claimed to witness the miracles deceived somehow? Or should we view the miracle accounts as mere symbols, ways of conveying profound truths in a pictorial way? Well, consider.

It is difficult to see how we could view the stories of Jesus’ miracles as “misapprehensions of quite ordinary events.” On one occasion Jesus is said to have raised a widow’s son from the dead when his corpse was actually being carried to the burial place. On another occasion, we are told, Jesus walked on the surface of the Sea of Galilee during a windstorm. (Luke 7:11-17; John 6:16-21) What kind of “ordinary events” could be exaggerated or misapprehended to give rise to that kind of story?

Nor is it reasonable to say that the eyewitnesses were tricked somehow. (John 9:16, Authorized Version) True, conjurers are adept at deceiving their audiences. Even modern scientists have been fooled by tricksters. But the reported miracles of Jesus were not the kind of thing that has fooled moderns. Jesus is said to have cured a man “full of leprosy” and stopped the flow of blood of a woman who had suffered for years. (Luke 5:12-16; 8:43-48) What conjurer could do that? While a professional magician can do amazing things when his equipment is set up on stage, no one can calm a storm or walk on the surface of a sea stirred up by a windstorm just by using trickery.

Neither can we say that the miracle accounts are merely symbols or illustrations. Some may feel that accounts describing resurrections were a pictorial way of showing that Jesus restored people to life in a spiritual way, giving their lives new meaning and direction. But that suggestion does not stand close scrutiny. The miracles involved real people. One person who was reported to have been resurrected was Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary. Lazarus really existed. “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” (John 11:5) And after he was resurrected, the religious leaders tried to kill him because his resurrection was such a great sign. The resurrection of Lazarus is meant to be understood as real!​—John 12:9-11.

Could it be, then, that the witnesses were just telling lies? Not possible! Jesus’ miracles were performed openly before large crowds. The accounts of them were published while many who saw them were still alive. These records, many written by eyewitnesses, still exist, preserved in the Bible. Read them for yourself and see how these narratives have the ring of truth. Serious matters are decided every day in courts of law​—even matters involving life and death—​on far less evidence than exists to prove that Jesus really did perform miracles.

Those miracles affected the lives of many who saw them. The greatest miracle of all, the resurrection of Jesus, profoundly changed the lives of his followers. Immediately after his death, these ones were discouraged, ready to go back to their former occupations. Then, after they had seen the resurrected Jesus and were enlightened by God’s spirit, they were willing to face the wrath of the Jewish priests and Roman rulers, boldly going to the boundaries of the Roman Empire and beyond, spreading the good news about him. (Acts 1:6-8; 4:8-13) Their courage is illustrated in Peter and John’s statement to the Jewish rulers: “But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20) Would they have had such courage if they were lying when they said they had seen the resurrected Jesus?

Miracles and Modern Science

Is it reasonable, though, to believe in miracles in this scientific age? Yes, it is. While we today know a lot more about the workings of nature than people did in Jesus’ day, we do not know everything by any means. In fact, scientists find that the more they learn, the more there is to learn. They certainly have not yet reached the point where they can say with finality: This is possible, and this is not. They cannot say definitely, for example, that there is no source of power that could make possible the resurrection of a dead man or the restoration of a withered hand. All they can say is that they do not know how to do it. Hence, if it happened, it would give evidence of the intervention of a power higher than they are.

The Encyclopædia Britannica puts it this way: “Although the possibility of miracles is often confidently denied, such denial rests on an unproved assumption; since we do not know the continuity of nature so thoroughly as to be able to declare that this or that event is necessarily an interruption of it.”

Scientists have discovered that under abnormal conditions, things often act quite differently from what we might expect. For example, when lead is submerged in liquid helium cooled to a temperature of -456 degrees Fahrenheit (-271° C.) and is placed near a bar magnet, it becomes an excellent conductor and acts like a powerful electromagnet. Under normal conditions, any object heavier than air that is released in midair will fall to the ground. But consider the astronaut who simply floats around in his spaceship. Such things are hard to believe, unless you happen to know the laws of nature that make them possible.

Thus, today we are able to do things that would have astounded educated people just a few hundred years ago. Yet we are no more intelligent than people were then. We merely have the advantage of a few hundred more years of human experience. Jehovah God, who created the laws of nature, is vastly more intelligent and more experienced than we are. Surely, he could set up abnormal or unusual conditions under which, in complete accordance with the laws of nature as he controls them, a man could walk on water or calm the violence of a windstorm.

Doctor Hans Hoppeler, Swiss author of the book Bibelwunder und Wissenschaft (Miracles of the Bible and Science), said: “The person who believes in an Almighty God, who has laid down the laws of nature and who is in control of them, finds it obvious that from time to time this God could intervene in his universe in a way not understood by us and according to laws unknown to us, and this for the purpose of making known his power and wisdom.”

‘OK, Miracles. But Why?’

What difference does it make today, though, that miracles really happened in the Middle East almost 2,000 years ago? It makes a big difference! That Jesus really did perform miracles shows that he had access to a source of power unknown to most of his contemporaries and unknown to most people today: God’s holy spirit. (Matthew 12:28; Luke 4:14; 5:17) This fact shows that Jehovah God’s approval was on what Jesus said and did. The miracles are an outstanding proof that Jesus was telling the truth.

Hence, when Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and the Messiah so long awaited by the Jews, he was telling the truth. (Matthew 11:2-6; 16:15-17) The miracles give us reason to be confident that those who put their faith in Jesus do not do so in vain.​—John 3:16.

Additionally, Jesus preached about God’s Kingdom. He is the King of that Kingdom, and by means of it God’s will is to be done on earth. The miracles lent authenticity to that message. (Matthew 6:10; 9:35; John 18:36) But they did more than that. Jesus’ miracles also demonstrated what God’s Kingdom government will do on behalf of its subjects.​—Daniel 2:44.

God’s Kingdom is the only hope for the future of mankind, and the time for it to intervene actively in the affairs of mankind is close. In our day humans cannot perform miracles by means of holy spirit. But soon loyal subjects of God’s Kingdom will see miraculous changes in the condition of this earth and mankind upon it. Then that Kingdom will do on a large scale what Jesus did on a small scale while he was a man on earth, as the chart on page 18 shows. This is not just wishful thinking. It will occur. And one of the reasons we can be so sure is that the miracles of Jesus recorded in the Bible really did happen.

[Chart on page 18]

MIRACLES OF JESUS

Authority over:

INANIMATE THINGS

SPIRIT FORCES

HUMAN DISEASE

DEATH

Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Make Kids Stop Picking on Me?

The boy’s walk is a dead giveaway. Tense, unsure of himself, he is obviously bewildered by his new surroundings. The older students thus spot him as a new boy in school. Soon a group of girls quickly surround him to perform their “initiation rites,” assailing him with obscenities! Crimson from ear to ear, he flees to the nearest sanctuary​—the rest room. Laughter echoes off the walls.

THE foregoing is a rather typical scene in many schools. Harassment, teasing and insulting are the cruel pastimes of many youths. Said one youth: “When the kids see you they start laughing and I feel like killing myself.”

Solomon once said: “There exists the one speaking thoughtlessly as with the stabs of a sword.” (Proverbs 12:18) Verbal abuse by a person’s peers can slice through self-confidence like a sharpened sword. And the effects can be long lasting. Recalls one man, ‘When I was in school, a lot of people laughed at me because I couldn’t talk plain. I became self-conscious and was afraid to talk in front of people.’ The ridicule he suffered affects him to this day.

‘How can I make them let me alone?’ a youth might therefore ask. Perhaps you should first consider why the teasing takes place.

Why They Do It

“Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,” says the Bible at Proverbs 14:13. Laughter erupts when a group of youths harass someone. But they are not ‘crying out joyfully because of the good condition of the heart.’ (Isaiah 65:14) Often the laughter is a mere camouflage of inner turmoil. Behind the bravado, the tormentors might really be saying: ‘We don’t like ourselves, but putting someone down makes us feel better.’

One teacher, Edward C. Martin, recalls a situation where “for two weeks a group of girls were harassing another girl in and out of classes.” The victim “was literally terrified.” Martin concluded: “For the group of antagonists, this aggressiveness was a source of unity and camaraderie. They relished the times of confrontation and the times of subtle teasing. Individuals took pride and received group praise devising more exciting methods of taunting their foe.” A youth named Shelley who participated in such teasing similarly concluded: “We thought it was the ‘in’ thing to do . . . It gave you a sort of intimacy feeling, you know. As if you belonged.”

Jealousy also prompts the attacks. The Bible tells of a teenager named Joseph whose own brothers turned on him, simply because he was his father’s favorite. Intense jealousy led not only to verbal abuse but even to the contemplation of murder! (Genesis 37:4, 11, 20) Likewise today, a student who is exceptionally bright or well liked by the teachers may arouse the jealousy of his peers. Insults ‘cut him down to size.’

Insecurity, jealousy and low self-esteem are thus often the reasons for ridicule. Why, then, should you let loose your self-esteem because some insecure youth has lost his?

Halting the Harassment

“Happy is the man that . . . in the seat of ridiculers has not sat,” says the psalmist. (Psalm 1:1) Joining in the ridicule so as to deflect the attention from yourself just prolongs the insult cycle.

Solomon though, gives some useful suggestions. “Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended, for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones.”​—Ecclesiastes 7:9.

Yes, why should you take teasing so seriously? After all, often no malice is really intended. So if someone innocently​—or even perhaps not so innocently—​teases you and touches upon some sore spot of yours, why be crushed? If what is said is not obscene, try to see the humor in it. There is “a time to laugh,” and taking offense at playful teasing may be an overreaction.​—Ecclesiastes 3:4.

But what if the teasing is not playful? Maybe in gym class or in the locker room someone sarcastically pokes fun at your physique. Or perhaps you are a girl battling acne and someone finds amusement in your blemishes. Displaying a sense of humor may be easier said than done, for it is a natural reaction to become defensive in the face of criticism. Dr. Manuel J. Smith therefore says: “I instruct [people] not to deny any criticism (that’s simply responding in kind), not to get defensive, and not to counterattack.” Yes, the ridiculer wants to enjoy your reaction, to revel in your misery. Lashing back, becoming defensive, or bursting into tears is likely to encourage him or her to keep up the harassment.

Author Kathleen McCoy tells of a teenage girl named Carol who was hassled constantly because of being tall and overweight. Carol’s mother asked: “Since you can’t directly change someone else’s behavior, can you think of some things you can do to keep people off your back?” Her answer: “Not give them the satisfaction of seeing me get upset?” Other youths have similarly fended off insults by nonchalantly ignoring them.

King Solomon further says: “Also, do not give your heart to all the words that people may speak [”Don’t pay attention to everything people say”​—Today’s English Version], that you may not hear your servant calling down evil upon you. For your own heart well knows even many times that you, even you, have called down evil upon others.” (Ecclesiastes 7:21, 22) To “give your heart” to the caustic remarks of the ridiculers would mean to be overly concerned about their judgment of you. Is their judgment valid? The apostle Paul was unfairly attacked by jealous peers, but he replied: “Now to me it is a very trivial matter that I should be examined by you or by a human tribunal . . . he that examines me is Jehovah.” (1 Corinthians 4:3, 4) Paul’s relationship with God was so strong that he had the self-confidence and self-esteem to withstand unfair attacks.

Enduring “Contrary Talk”

At times you may be mocked because of your way of life as a Christian. Jesus Christ himself had to endure such “contrary talk.” (Hebrews 12:3) But though this included vicious and humiliating insults, Jesus never returned insult for insult. (1 Peter 2:22, 23) He practiced the very advice he preached in the Sermon on the Mount, namely, to ‘turn the other cheek.’​—Matthew 5:38-42.

You, too, may have to endure and ignore ridicule. Do not, however, invite hostility by constantly criticizing others or by giving others the impression that you feel that you are superior. As opportunity arises to share your faith, do so, but do it with “a mild temper and deep respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) Your reputation for fine conduct may prove to be your greatest protection while you are in school. Though others may not like your courageous stand, they will often begrudgingly respect you for it.

A Christian girl named Vanessa was harassed by a group of girls who would hit her, push her around, knock books out of her hands​—all in an attempt to provoke a fight. They even poured a chocolate milk shake over her head and clean white dress. Yet she never gave in to the provocation. Months later, however, Vanessa met the group’s ringleader at a convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses! “I hated your guts,” the former bully said. “I wanted to see you lose your cool just once.” However, her curiosity about how Vanessa maintained her composure led to her accepting a study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. “I fell in love with what I learned,” she continued, “and tomorrow I’m getting baptized.”

So do not let “contrary talk” break your spirit. Where appropriate, show a sense of humor. Respond to evil with kindness. Refuse to feed the fires of contention, and in time your tormentors will find little pleasure in targeting you for ridicule. For “where there is no wood the fire goes out.”​—Proverbs 26:20.

[Picture on page 22]

The ridiculer wants to revel in your misery. Lashing back or bursting into tears might even encourage further harassment

[Picture on page 23]

In many cases the best way to fend off verbal attacks is to ignore them

They Resisted Rapists

GENERALLY rapists try to get a woman in some isolated place where people are not around. At times they have a weapon and threaten to use it if the victim does not cooperate. Should a Christian quietly submit?

No, the situation is not the same as when a man simply is asking for money or other material possessions. A woman wisely would give him these. But the rapist is asking a person to break God’s law by committing fornication. Under such circumstances a Christian is obligated to resist.​—1 Corinthians 6:18.

‘But could not resistance be dangerous?’ someone may ask. Yes, it could be. Yet it may well be more dangerous not to resist, as a teacher of rape self-defense notes: “He just may kill you when he’s done so you can’t identify him later.”

The comments of a leading spokeswoman on rape are noteworthy. She said: “Despite the popular myths of male violence and the alleged safety in submission, it has never been demonstrated that resistance on the part of a rape victim in an attempt to escape ‘provokes’ an assailant to commit an act of murder.” The following experience illustrates this.

Two young women were in a Laundromat when a man came in and at gunpoint herded them into a room in the rear of the building. He ordered them to undress. They refused, praying aloud to Jehovah God for help. Finally, they told the now-confused gunman that they were Jehovah’s Witnesses and that it was against their religious belief to do what he was demanding; they would not do it even if he shot them. Result? The frustrated gunman fled.

Treat Him Respectfully

The intended victim should remember that the rapist is a human. No doubt there are circumstances in his life that have precipitated his behavior. So although a woman should not cower in fear and permit a rapist to intimidate her, at the same time she should treat him understandingly, as a fellow human. A woman who lived in a housing project in New York City writes:

“I usually am careful when going into elevators. As usual, I checked this one out before entering, and all was OK. However, just before the door closed completely, a big man grabbed the door and opened it to come into the elevator with me. As he entered he threw a six-pack of beer at me, and I caught it. It took me by surprise.

“As the door closed he turned his back to me to do something with his pants. Then he turned around and faced me. I didn’t look down at his pants but looked him in the eyes. I threw his six-pack of beer back to him, and said, ‘Here is your beer.’

“At this moment, before he could do anything, I started to talk. I said I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and was going up to the 13th floor to have a Bible study with a family who was waiting for me. I just kept talking and told him about our Bible educational work. We were half way up to the 13th floor by now, and as I kept right on talking I showed no fear, looking him straight in the eyes. Then a funny thing happened. He began to say that he loved the Bible and that he was from the South and his family loved God too.

“Meanwhile, we had reached the 13th floor, and he opened the door to let me out. He asked me if I would do him the honor of shaking his hand. I did, and he practically shook it off. Then he said he wanted to thank me because I was the first white woman that hadn’t looked at him with scorn in her eyes, and that I was sincere in talking with him. He then said good-bye and wished me good luck on my Bible study.”

Resisting in One’s Home

Rapes that occur in one’s own home can be particularly traumatic, since the surroundings are a constant reminder of the event. How much better, therefore, for one to resist! A mother who was able to avoid being raped in her home in Detroit, Michigan, tells how she did it.

“It was 5:30 a.m. when I was awakened by the sound of footsteps. At first I was unsure from which direction they were coming. I looked at my watch and saw that it was too early for my oldest daughter to be getting ready for school. My husband is a traveling musician and was away. I had been asleep downstairs. Since I knew no one was upstairs, I decided the sounds were coming from the front porch. So I turned on the porch light. Immediately I heard footsteps run down the stairs, and when I turned, there stood a strange man.

“Because the man had his hand inside his coat, as if he had a gun, I said, ‘If you are going to kill me, do it.’ He said he had a gun and would shoot me if I did not do everything he commanded. He told me to turn off all the lights and sit on the couch. I turned off the lights but refused to sit on the couch. He said he would kill me if I did not let him rape me. Then he started pushing me to the couch, so I quoted Matthew 16:26, which says: ‘For what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’

“The man stopped pushing me and asked what the scripture meant. So I explained that if I resisted him and remained faithful to my God and my husband, and was killed for this faithfulness, I would have a hope of being resurrected to a Paradise earth and everlasting life. But if I gave in and he raped me, I would eventually die and have no hope of a resurrection.

“The intruder knew he was not going to talk me into letting him rape me, so he started pulling at my clothing. I remembered the scripture at Deuteronomy chapter 22 that says if you are attacked in the city and do not scream it is considered the same as consenting. I then said very loudly, ‘Stop! Please! No! Don’t do that! Mister, please leave my house!’

“I knew that this not only would be pleasing to Jehovah but would also alert my children that this was no TV dialogue but a man attacking their mother. I also called him ‘mister’ so that they would know that I did not know him. The man told me to shut up, but I said I had to yell every time he attacked me.

“The man lunged at me again and I started to pray aloud, ‘O Jehovah, please help me!’ He stopped and asked who I was talking to. So I explained that Jehovah is God’s name, that God has a name even as he did.

“To really try to frighten me, the man asked if I had ever read about whole families being killed and later being found. He said that was what he was going to do to me and my children if I wouldn’t let him at least caress parts of my body. But I would not agree to this either. The man continued to threaten me, and each time I would think to myself, ‘O Jehovah, what can I do?’ the appropriate scripture and action would come to mind.

“After about 20 to 30 minutes, the man saw he was not going to be able to rape me. So he said: ‘What are your children’s ages?’ I replied, ‘14, 12, 8, 5 and 4.’

“‘I am going to rape your 14-year-old daughter if you don’t let me rape you,’ he said.

“I wondered how he knew that the 14-year-old was a girl. ‘She is a Christian, too,’ I responded, ‘and she is not going to let you rape her.’ He then said he would kill all of us, and headed toward my children’s bedrooms. Again I wondered how he knew just which way the bedrooms were. Before I could get myself together enough to follow him, he returned to the living room with a strange look on his face. He went past me and commanded, ‘Unlock the front door.’

“‘It will unlock if you turn the knob,’ I said. He stepped out, and when he did I pushed the door shut and put the chain on it.

“Immediately I went to my children’s bedrooms and understood why the man had gone to the front door. They were gone. The week before, I had seen a special on TV telling how you should teach your children emergency escape routes from the house. I talked with my children and told them the safest and best way to leave the house was through the north bedroom windows so that they could go next door and call for help. Because my children obeyed, they were safe next door.

“Soon two police cars arrived, one in answer to my phone call, the other in answer to my neighbor’s. The police said that they were not surprised to be getting a call this morning about rape. For several months, they explained, there had been many rapes at about this same time in the neighborhood. They even referred to the rapist as ‘our boy.’

“The police were amazed when I told them I had neither been raped nor robbed. They said someone would get in touch with me. Later that day I was asked to come to the station for a lineup. It was very disappointing because they did not have the right man.

“The next day I received a call at work asking me to come down once again for a lineup. This time, the minute I walked into the room I saw him and almost fell to the floor . . . I learned that since his release from jail eight months before, he had raped at least 13 women in my neighborhood, including an armed policewoman. The police said that whatever my faith was, it was what had helped me not to be number 14.”

Resisting When Outside

Surely, it is a terrible ordeal to face a man intent on rape. When the man has a weapon and no one else is around, the situation is especially frightening. Yet, even then, rather than being intimidated by threats and submitting, the Scripturally proper course is to resist. And, time and again, doing so has proved to be the better course. One of Jehovah’s Witnesses living in a semirural area relates:

“On my way back from picking up my mail, a man wearing a ski mask came running after me with a knife. He grabbed me and tried to take me into the woods. He pulled me to the ground. Before he got me down, I screamed. He covered my mouth, but I still called out to Jehovah, praying to him for strength. The man showed me the knife and said that if I didn’t keep quiet he’d hurt me. I grabbed the knife and pushed it away. He put the knife away and began to pull me up. I bit his finger, and he punched me in the head.

“He told me he wouldn’t hurt me if I went peacefully. I cried, ‘No!’ I was determined either to escape or die there on the driveway, not in the woods. So I threw back a punch in his face. This startled him. He punched me again on the cheek. I was knocked to the ground but kicked my legs at him fiercely to get him away from me.

“I was able to get to my feet, and I ran toward the road leading to other houses. I looked back and saw him taking off through the woods in the direction of my house. I ran to the nearest house. The police were called. They came in force, surrounded the area and caught the rapist. He confessed to the whole thing, so I didn’t have to identify him.”

Being Prepared to Resist

For a woman, perhaps there is not a more frightening or shattering thing than rape. She may not even want to think about it. Yet rape is a reality of life. Even the Bible tells about rapes and attempted rapes that occurred thousands of years ago.​—Genesis 19:4-11; 34:1-7; Judges 19:22-27; 2 Samuel 13:1-14.

In these critical times, however, rapes have become everyday occurrences in many cities and towns. In fact, the American Medical News of February 4, 1983, observed: “Perhaps one of six women in this country will become a victim of rape, which has been called the nation’s most rapidly increasing violent crime.”

So rather than ignore the possibility of a rape attempt, it only makes sense for a woman to think ahead as to what she will do if she is ever threatened by a rapist. There should be a realistic readiness on her part to resist. “The view that a woman who resists is more likely to be injured or killed is an old wives’ tale,” said Detroit Police Executive Deputy Chief James Bannon. “There has never been any evidence to back it up.”

In ancient Israel, God’s law required a woman confronted by a rapist to scream, thus putting up active resistance. (Deuteronomy 22:23-27) This is a wise course. According to Chief Inspector Keith Kilbride of the West Yorkshire Crime Prevention Bureau in England, “if a woman is attacked, her best weapon is still her lungs.”

For further help in coping with the growing threat of rape, you may want to read information such as appeared in Awake! of July 8, 1980, and The Watchtower of October 15, 1980. Those articles were designed to help prevent rape. Also, a woman may talk to her husband, her father or a trusted friend to get advice on defensive measures. And a boy can talk to his parents. In addition, the experiences presented here may help you to resist a rapist successfully if you are ever faced with such a threat.

[Blurb on page 27]

“If a woman is attacked, her best weapon is still her lungs”

From Our Readers

The Wild Kingdom

It was with pleasure that we read your article (in Portuguese) “Is the Wild Kingdom Vanishing?” (May 22, 1983) The precise, realistic way in which the article showed how rare specimens are vanishing and the quotations of well-known scientists demonstrated clearly that the one to blame is man himself. Along with the Association of Brazilian Biologists, we are striving to encourage conservation in all areas, in view of the constant erosion of the natural environment. As the article brought out, man is really destroying the earth with his unlimited industrialization and commercial greed. We hope that you will continue to publish information of such high standard and urgency.

Academic Center of Biological Sciences, Brazil

Breast-Feeding

Thank you for the lovely article on breast-feeding. (June 8, 1983) At the birth of our second child I informed the nurse that I intended to breast-feed him, and I continued to feed him that way after coming home from the hospital. Everything has worked out well. However, many around us have been skeptical. I was criticized and began to have doubts. I recalled all of this vividly while reading the article and it really touched my heart. I believe it will encourage other mothers who want to breast-feed their babies to go ahead and do so, not letting themselves be disconcerted by others.

I. K., Germany

Two of the letters appearing in the September 22, 1983, issue with reference to breast-feeding deeply disturbed me. Firstly, to submit a baby to a schedule of our own convenience is absurd. Children are young and so innocent, why do we want to force our clocks and routines on them? Children are to be loved even when housework and material demands must go on untouched. People before things. To me a baby who cries for his mother’s milk is much more important than any other activity that presents itself.

S. F., New York

We agree on the value of breast-feeding babies and also believe that the proper care and nurturing of children should receive very high priority from the parents. But we believe that, as significant as this is, there may be other factors that some parents will feel should be taken into consideration. Therefore, each couple will have to consider all factors and make the decision as to what will be in the best interests of their child, according to their individual circumstances.​—ED.

No More Fleas

Your issue of September 8, 1978, (page 30) had an item “Getting Rid of Fleas.” It cited a case reported in the Smithsonian in which two dogs and a cat got rid of fleas when they were given small doses of brewer’s yeast. I have three cats, and for the past year I have been mixing a little brewer’s yeast into their food at every meal. All three are now free from fleas. It really works! Thanks for the tip.

A. D., Canada

Watching the World

Witnesses in Grenada

● Grenada, a tiny speck on a world map, became the focus of international attention last October. Since its recent problems, how have the 300 Jehovah’s Witnesses who live on that Caribbean island fared? All the Witnesses are well and continue active in their ministry. In the neighboring island of Barbados, Witnesses gathered more than one ton of food in less than two days for their Grenadian fellow Witnesses. Shortly after the Grenadian airport reopened, an airplane chartered by the Watchtower Society in Barbados brought in 1,400 pounds of the donated food for distribution among the Witnesses. Spiritual food was also provided. On that same day in Grenada, 274 attended a religious meeting conducted by representatives of the Witnesses from Barbados and the world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses also provided financial aid to those in need.

Deadly Alcohol

● Alcohol is linked to fatal injuries, reports the United States Centers for Disease Control. Homicides, suicides and accidents are leading causes of death in the United States, and alcohol is identified as one of the contributory factors common to all of them. The Fulton County Medical Examiner of the state of Georgia reviewed all fatal injury deaths in that county for 1982. In examining the 95 percent of all those who died within six hours of injury, the following was observed: More than 51 percent of homicide victims were legally drunk. In 85 percent of the motor-vehicle accidents resulting in death, at least one driver was drunk. And 20 percent of suicide victims were drunk at the time of death.

Ghana’s “Mushroom Churches”

● In the Republic of Ghana, faith-healing churches are springing up so rapidly that Ghanaians call them “mushroom churches,” reports Bijeen, a Roman Catholic monthly published in the Netherlands. “There are about 500 of these Pentecostal-styled churches in Ghana alone,” says Jo Leferink, a priest and representative of Ghana’s Roman Catholic secretariat for ecumenism. Since these “mushroom churches” are drawing crowds away from the established churches, the Catholic Church in an effort to reverse the trend, has introduced their own “healing service, to meet the demand,” says Bijeen.

Germany’s Clergy-Politicians

● The Federal Republic of Germany’s Palatinate Lutheran Church wants no “election campaigns carried on from the pulpit” but does allow its clergymen to be politically active. The German weekly Christ in der Gegenwart reports that “the Church’s State Synod has passed a preliminary statute granting ministers who are striving for a political mandate a total or partial leave of absence during election campaigns.”

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church in Germany allows none of its clergy to hold political office. According to the German magazine Westermanns Monatshefte, “accepting a mandate to serve in legislative bodies is only done under the threat of excommunication.” Why the different stand from the Lutherans? The magazine gives one reason: “The Reich’s Concordat of 1933​—formed between the Vatican and the National Socialists—​that forbade office holders in the Catholic Church from holding political power is still in effect. This agreement allowed Hitler to get rid of an undesirable and morally influential rival. During the Weimarian Republic priests had played a significant role as deputies in the Reichstag.”

“Factories of Death”

● Roman Catholics who work on military projects may be in a predicament. Pope John Paul II, in a strong statement alluding to nuclear weapons, urged scientists the world over to exercise their freedom of choice and forsake research work in “laboratories and factories of death” and, in its place, to focus on “laboratories of life.” The pope addressed some 115 scientists from at least 29 nations, including 20 Nobel prize winners, at a meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Science in the Vatican. He further stated: “It is an irreplaceable task of the scientific community to insure . . . that the discoveries of science are not placed at the service of war, tyranny and terror.”

A German Roman Catholic priest was even more direct in his views on nuclear weapons. The National Catholic Reporter says: “Father Karl Rahner had said Catholics should refuse to work on nuclear weapons in the same way and for the same reasons that they should refuse to ‘cooperate’ in abortions.” This may pose troublesome employment questions for some Catholics.

Gaelic Tongue

● The road signs in the Highlands of Scotland may soon be written in two languages​—English and Gaelic—​reports London’s Daily Telegraph. The Highlanders are also seeking to increase radio and television broadcasting in Gaelic, thereby hoping to preserve their native tongue. Although only 3 to 4 percent of Scotland’s 5 million inhabitants speak Gaelic, up to 60 percent of the Scots living in some of the Highland areas use the Gaelic tongue. Bruce Black, an administrator for the Highland Regional Council, said: “It’s very disappointing to find that while some departments distribute forms in Gujarati, Hindi or Welsh, they don’t provide them in Gaelic.”

New Energy Sources

● Brazil has been using gasohol to run cars, but the engines required adaptation. Now, reports South magazine, researchers in Brazil have successfully run 13-ton lorries, without engine modification, using vegetable oil. “Palm oil, and oil from soyabeans, peanuts, rape and sunflower seeds are equally efficient as substitutes or supplements to diesel,” says South, and require simpler technology to produce. Meanwhile, spurred by Brazil’s success, Iraq has been experimenting with a fuel utilizing alcohol produced from dates. A variety called Zuhdi was found to be best because of its high sugar content. Dates are Iraq’s second largest export. And in the United States, farmers are using cow manure to produce electricity. A “digester,” fueled by manure, turns out electricity that is sold to power companies. Useful by-products are methane gas, liquid fertilizer and solids.

Doll Mania

● Cabbage Patch Kids dolls have been the toy hit of the Christmas season in North America. Stores, swamped with buyers, could not keep up with the demand. Parents, willing to pay more than double their suggested retail selling price, have kept the manufacturer busy churning out 200,000 dolls per week. About 3,000,000 were estimated to have been sold in Canada and the United States by the end of last year. The dolls have no electronic gadgetry. Their faces are not beautiful but homely, yet winsome. Why the demand? Because each doll’s face is different from that of any other, due to computer design. Hence, each is a one-of-a-kind doll. In addition, they come with “adoption papers,” making children feel the dolls are really theirs. Psychologist Joyce Brothers, writing in the New York Post, gives another reason for the doll mania: “Most children’s toys today are 90 percent battery-operated and 10 percent kid-operated. It was time for a return to a toy that doesn’t do anything.”

“Silent” Marriages

● The longer a couple is married, the less they talk to one another, says German scientist professor H. W. Jürgens after a six-year-long study of the “communication behaviors” of German couples. According to the Allgemeine Zeitung, published in Mainz, Germany, Jürgens says that after two years of marriage, mates spend about 30 minutes a day talking to each other. One explanation is that older couples already know exactly what their mate thinks and what they would most likely say on any given issue. But the newspaper adds: “Many older couples who still have a great deal to say to each other show that this doesn’t have to be the case. But it is usually the wife who takes the initiative.”

Painful Credit

● Doctors in Britain were puzzled at the incidence of sciatica in men. Eventually, after a long hot summer, the answer became clear. In the heat, businessmen leave off their jackets and transfer the ubiquitous wallet, packed with credit cards, from their jackets to the back pocket of their trousers. All the time that they sit at the desk or in the car, the wad of cards applies pressure to the sciatic nerve, causing excruciating pain down the leg. Having discovered the cause, the treatment suggested for “credit card sciatica” was, of course, very simple​—remove the wallet.

Two Heads Better?

● A two-headed water snake has become a major attraction at the Miami Serpentarium. Named Hatfield and McCoy after the infamous feuding clans of West Virginia, the snake is now about three feet (1 m) long. Both heads are active, and if one is covered the other can see. However, the snake seems confused as to whether two heads are better than one. “They have a problem sometimes,” says the Serpentarium’s director, Bill Haast, “because they might want to go different ways. You can see a kind of vibration being set up, as if there’s a tug of war going on.”

Traffic-Jam Bliss

● Traffic jams​—a motorist’s nightmare? If you think so, spare the thought for the befuddled traffic experts in Munich, Germany. Trying to find out why so many motorists completely ignore radio warnings telling of traffic congestion, they report that drivers actually “love to boast about the length of the traffic jams they have been trapped in,” according to the Sunday Express of London. The survey continues: “For some reason a traffic jam seems to give the average Bavarian car driver the feeling that he is really someone. . . . It seems to be a form of swankiness, . . . as if they welcome a chance to show off.” The experts say that they are at a complete loss to understand their findings.

Deep Divers

● The Arctic bird guillemot surprised Soviet biologists doing deep-sea exploration in a bathyscaphe, reports Sputnik magazine. As they peered through the portholes of their submerged ship, the researchers spotted the guillemot plunging for fish at a depth of 262 feet (80 m). Prior to this sighting, it was believed that this denizen of the northern hemisphere could dive no more than 33 feet (10 m). As amazing as the guillemot’s diving skill is, it is eclipsed by its southern-hemisphere cousins, the Antarctic emperor penguins. They are known for diving to depths of more than 656 feet (200 m).

What Kind of Place Is Hell?

Religions have long taught that the souls of the wicked are tormented in a fiery hell. But the Bible does not teach that.

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Unity in Worship​—What Should It Mean for You?

As we draw closer and closer to the end of this system, pressures and tensions mount.

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